


In the Checkout Line

by badcaseofcasey



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 01:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2006562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badcaseofcasey/pseuds/badcaseofcasey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Then Stiles’ heart sank and his eyes shot to the contents of his basket; was it too late to switch lanes? Yeah, it would be officially weird to take the poptarts out of the cashier’s hands and run to the self-check in the corner and die of shame."</p><p>Stiles meets Derek in the process of running an errand for Scott and Allison.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Checkout Line

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt found on eeames' tumblr.

Stiles milled around the grocery store, humming along the elevator music as he tossed a box of pop tarts into his basket. He’d been sent on a shopping trip with specific instructions by Scott, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get some if his own things, and pop tarts were one of the joys of bachelorhood that he could lord over Scott (He wasn’t bitter about Scott being married and possibly starting a family; he wasn’t).

“Feminine needs,” he muttered, scanning the signs above ever aisle until he found what he was looking for. He never thought _this_ would be how his first experience with a pregnancy test. He’d assumed it would be something like he and Scott getting curious and fucking around, not in order to determine if Scott and Allison would be parents. _I guess we’re really grown up now_.

Stiles picked the brand with the nicest and happiest looking packaging, and turned to walk to the check out when he paused. Might as well stock up while he’s here. He pulls his standard lube and condoms off the shelf and dumped them in the basket. Confident he’d gotten all he needed, he walked over to the checkout.

The store was mostly empty – the soccer moms were picking their kids up from school, Scott was in vet school, Allison was at the gym training a new client, and the rest of Beacon Hills had something significantly more important to do at 3:30 on a Friday afternoon. But Stiles, as an EMT, kept really weird hours, and would go to work at 9pm.

Stiles got in line and set his basket on the belt before looking at his cashier and – damn. He’d never seen someone so attractive in his life; it really shouldn’t be allowed. The cashier’s broad shoulders filled out the awful uniform polo to the point where it actually looked good, which Stiles hadn’t actually thought was possible. He had just the right amount of stubble to look both effortlessly beautiful and like he’d stepped out of a GQ photo shoot.

Then Stiles’ heart sank and his eyes shot to the contents of his basket; was it too late to switch lanes? Yeah, it would be officially weird to take the poptarts out of the cashier’s hands and run to the self-check in the corner and die of shame.

The cashier continued to ring up his items and Stiles gave up on any chance of escaping the embarrassment. He moved through the lane so he could lean against the counter, trying to avert his eyes from the way the cashier’s (Derek, according to his name tag) biceps flexed and moved as he passed the items across the scanner. He reached for the last item in the basket and met Stiles’ eyes for the first time, and raised his eyebrows.

“Condoms and a pregnancy test?” he asked, his eyebrows more judgmental than Stiles thought eyebrows could be. “Isn’t it a little late for condoms at this point?”

“A friend’s wife might be pregnant.” Stiles could feel his cheeks heating up and not for the first time cursed his pale skin for showing the blush so easily.

“Ah, so the condoms would be for you, then.” Derek started bagging all the items and looked up at Stiles through his eyelashes.

“Well, yeah,” Stiles said, his blush deepening – he was not prepared for this. “Because they’re something I use all the time. For sex.”

Derek smirked. “Oh, I assumed they were for water balloons.”

Stiles accepted the bag across the counter after he put his change away. “No, they never break, you can’t use them for water balloons unless you fill them ridiculously full.”

“I’ll definitely remember that for my next water balloon fight,” Derek said in a way that clearly implied his next water balloon fight would be never.

Stiles smiles nervously. “You should definitely do that. See you later, alligator.”

And the moment those words came out of his mouth, Stile ran for the door, desperate to get away.

“See you later, Alligator?” Stiles asked himself, resting his forehead on the steering wheel and not for the first time hating himself for not being able to keep his mouth shut.

___

Stiles stayed away for a good week after that, but eventually, he realized how ridiculous he was being. Derek’s convenience store was on the way home from his dad’s house as well as on the way home from work. It was ridiculous to go to the other convenience store, which was on the other side of town, just to avoid Derek.

So, when he went to buy a card for Scott and Allison (who insisted on waiting until they saw a doctor and got back the blood test to celebrate their pregnancy), he walked into the CVS with his head held high.

“So she is pregnant, then,” Derek said, scanning the card and looking up at Stiles through dark lashes, and really, since when was that fair?

Stiles, distracted by Derek’s eyes and trying to figure out what the hell color they even were, and forgot who Allison even was much less that she was pregnant. “Who?” Stiles said. “Oh! Allison, yeah. Her eggo is preggo.”

“Does that make me Rainn Wilson in this scenario?” Derek asked, raising his eye rows at the Batman fruit snacks Stiles had swiped from the shelf. “And if so, isn’t that my line?”

“Dude!” Stiles crowed. “Solid Juno reference. I didn’t take you for a lover of indie rom coms.”

“I have sisters,” Derek said, his voice playful. “What’s your excuse?”

“An unending love for Ellen Page,” Stiles said, paying and taking his bag from across the counter. “Not to mention a series of strong, persuasive females in my life. See you later.”

Derek smiled briefly (it was more of a smirk) and went onto the next customer (Stiles didn’t feel warm all over when Derek didn’t smile at them).

___

“Stiles, are you paying attention?” Scott asked, waving the pamphlet from the OB/GYN in Stiles face. “If we buy a bottle with BPA, my baby could have learning difficulties! I mean, I’d obviously love them anyway, but I don’t want that to be on me!”

Stiles sighed and put his hands on Scott’s shoulders. “Breathe. We will make sure your baby doesn’t have learning difficulties. See, look,” he pulled a bottle from the shelf,  “BPA-free. Everything will work out. We’ve faced much scarier than this.”

Scott breathed and accepted the bottle Stiles offered. “You’re right. It’ll be fine. Allison will be fine and the baby will be fine and I’ll be fine-”

“Yeah, Scott. Everything and everybody is fine,” Stiles said. “Isn’t it a little early to be buying this stuff?”

He picked up some weird looking gadget that he’s pretty sure could be used as a torture device and tried to figure out how to use it.

“Maybe,” Scott said. “Allison isn’t due for about 7 ½ months, but we wanted to buy the cheaper essentials ourselves.”

“Isn’t that what a baby shower is for?” Stiles asked, turning the weird thing over to see if there was something he was missing.

“Yeah, but we figured we would cover the essentials, and you guys can collaborate on the fancier stuff,” Scott said, tossing a few BPA-free nipples that fit the bottle into the cart. “For gods sakes, Stiles, put down the breast pump.”

“That’s what this is?” Stiles asked, miming putting the pump on himself. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how that could be comfortable for new mothers. It still seemed like a torture device.

And because this is Stiles’ life that was the exact position Stiles was in when Derek walks onto the aisle.

“Derek! Hey!” Stiles said, fumbling the breast pump trying to get it on the shelf without looking ridiculous and almost dropping it about twelve times. Derek’s eyebrows suggested that his success with the whole not looking ridiculous thing was minimal.

“Stiles,” Derek said, nodding hello. “And you must be the friend with the pregnant wife?”

“Yeah, Scott,” he said, shooting Scott a weird look as if he were trying to figure out the relationship between Stiles and the newcomer.

“Congratulations,” Derek said, smiling politely and gesturing at the shelves. “I’m picking some stuff up for my sister, Laura. She’s got a 4 month old at home and works as a litigator, so she needs some help with supplies some time.”

“You work at a convenience store,” Stiles said, raising an eyebrow, excited that he was allowed to judge Derek for once. “And yet you come here.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Yeah. With picky sisters come very specific shopping trips.”

“So, how do you know Stiles?” Scott asked, getting the same look in his eye as whenever he’d say things like, _I met this guy at work_ , or, _Alison’s friend has this friend_ … One side effect of Scott’s marital bliss was his need to make sure Stiles finds someone who makes him just as happy. It comes from a good place, really.

“I work at the convenience store where Stiles buys pregnancy tests,” Derek said, face serious, but something in the way he said it made Stiles realize there was amusement behind his words.

“Oh, you’re the convenience store guy!” Scott said, smiling widely and glancing at Stiles. “You’re the reason Stiles is always so bubbly after he goes to the store.”

Stiles’ eyes widened. “Hey, let the record show I have never once been ‘bubbly,’” Stiles said, balking at how embarrassing his best friend is sometimes.

Derek gave him an appraising look. “I don’t know, I think bubbly is pretty accurate.”

“Well, we’re having a baby shower, if you’re interested in coming,” Scott said, and Stiles kind of wanted to die.

“I-” Derek said, obviously confused and not used to Scott’s particular brand of friendliness. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Scott smiled, the smile that’s like sunshine and puppies and impossible to say no to. “Nonsense, you were pretty involved in this whole process; and I know Stiles would love to have you there.”

“Jesus, Scott,” Stiles hissed. He could feel his cheeks reddening. If Scott didn’t quit with this getting-Stiles-laid/married-to-his-soul-mate thing, Stiles was going to have to stop leaving his house or accepting visitors. He might just open the door to a mail-order bride one day.

“Well, I’ve got to go get a rocker, but you guys feel free to talk! I’ll catch you later, Stiles.”

Before Stiles could protest, he was alone with Derek, standing next to a display of breast pumps.

“You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to,” Stiles blurted suddenly. “To the baby shower, I mean.”

“Do you want me there?” Derek asked, keeping eye contact with Stiles as if making sure he really meant what he was about to say.”

“I don’t _not_ want you there,” Stiles said, trying very hard not to break eye contact. It wasn’t exactly a new experience; he had years of experience staring down his father, who was trained in interrogation. “But if you don’t want to come, you shouldn’t feel like you have to. Scott is overly friendly sometimes.”

“Will you be there?” Derek asked, and Stiles couldn’t tell if Derek sounded hopeful or if he was just projecting.

“Yeah, I’m practically contractually obligated,” Stiles said. “I’ve received threats of several different kinds of bodily harm if I don’t show up.”

“Then I’ll come,” Derek said, and Stiles could almost call that a smile. “When is it?”

Stiles pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Derek, who looked like Stiles had just pulled out of a scalpel and asked him to do open heart surgery.

“Put in your number and I’ll call or text with the details,” Stiles laughed at Derek’s reaction. “You aren’t exactly a tech whiz, are you?”

“Not exactly, no,” Derek chuckled in a self-deprecating way, finally breaking eye contact to key in his number.

Stiles smiled and accepted the phone, looking at the screen and typing in Derek’s name. “Wait, what’s your last name? Sorry, I’m weird about having everyone’s last name in my phone.”

“Hale,” he said. “Derek Hale.”

“Nice to officially meet you,” Stiles said, and smiled as Derek turned and walked away to another part of the store. It wasn’t until Derek was out of sight that Stiles’ eyes widened and he gasped. “Derek _Hale_.”

“What?” Scott asked, turning back into the aisle and giving Stiles a weird look. “Derek left, right?”

“Scott, do you know who that is?” Stiles asked, grabbing Scott by one shoulder.

“Yeah, Derek,” Scott said, speaking as if Stiles was mentally slow or an amnesia patient. “You just introduced him to me, remember?”

“Yeah, Derek _Hale_ ,” Stiles said, wondering how he could be so stupid not to realize before now. “As in the Hale fire? His entire family was killed in a fire remember? My dad was working overtime for weeks trying to figure out who did it, and it was Allison’s crazy aunt.”

Scott raised his eyebrows. “Wait, he was the one she slept with?”

“Well, just shout it to the whole store,” Stiles hissed. “Yes, that’s him. Allison hasn’t heard from Kate in a while, right?”

“No, Chris pretty much cut off all communication the moment he found out what she did,” Scott said.

“That makes sense,” Stiles said. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with my sister if she’d burned down a family in their home because they outed her for sleeping with one of her students.”

“Jeez, poor Derek,” Scott winced, realizing what Derek must have gone through. “I remember seeing pictures of the family on TV, but I would never have recognized Derek. He’s grown up so much.”

“Yeah,” Stiles said, pausing. “Grew up nice, though.”

Scott laughed and patted Stiles on the shoulder. “Come on, we should get back before Allison kills us.”

___

“Scott!” Stiles yelled over his friends’ laughter. “Scott, don’t you dare laugh, you got me into this.”

“I’m sorry,” Scott wheezed out. “I'm sorry, I just never thought I’d walk in on you planning an outfit.”

Stiles looked around at the piles of clothes scattered on the floor around him, his entire closet pretty much, grouped in discarded outfits. In hindsight, meeting Scott at the door of his apartment with two shirts held out and asking his opinion wasn’t the best way to avoid being made fun of.

“Like you weren’t like this with Allison,” Stiles grumbled, looking at himself in the mirror and pulling his hand through his hair when he still wasn’t satisfied with how he looked.

“Exactly. And you laughed, so now it’s my turn,” Scott said. “So ha. Dude, no – no plaid.”

Stiles dumped the shirt he’d had half on already on top of the nearest pile. “How do you look nice and casual at the same time? I’m an adult, this shouldn’t be so hard.”

“Just go like that,” Scott said, gesturing at Stiles’ naked torso. “It’d be the end of all the pussy footing you two are doing.”

“Allison would kill me,” Stiles said, shrugging on one of his better button-ups. “And besides, have you seen Derek? This would hardly impress him.”

“Hey, you’ve filled out since high school,” Scott defended, looking over at Stiles with all the glory that is his effortless pecs and six pack.

“Maybe, but not being scrawny and looking like _Derek_ are very different things,” Stiles said, looking at himself fin the mirror. “Do I look too fancy?”

“Well, the gray slacks might be a bit much,” Scott said, obviously enjoying being on the other side of this for once. “Just wear gray skinny jeans and don’t tuck your shirt in, you weirdo.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and laughed sarcastically. “I’m just nervous. I’ve only ever seen him when he’s working, and then that one time with you, and you know how awkward I was. I don’t know how to act without a counter between us.”

“Then talk to him in the kitchen,” Scott suggested, laughing when Stiles gave him an exasperated look. “Seriously, though; don’t be so nervous. You’re an attractive guy and you’re a total catch. He’s probably just as nervous.”

Stiles did a twirl, trying to look at himself from all angles to make sure there weren’t any weird tags or anything attached. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“Do you want me to ask Laura?” Scott asked, pulling out his phone. “I got her number when she brought Bear into the vet day before last.”

“Laura Hale?” Stiles’ eyes were wider than saucers and he stopped mid-twirl to gape at his friend. “You got her number? I’d expect that sort of conniving from me, but not from you, Scott. I can’t decide whether to feel betrayed or proud.”

Scott’s phone buzzed in his hand and Stiles eyes widened and he jerked his head at the offending piece of technology. “Is that her?”

“Yeah, she’s been sending updates on Derek.”

“Let me see!” Stiles said, making grabby hands and taking the phone out of Scott’s hand.

_This is the fourth outfit I’ve seen him in._

_He finally picked an outfit and now he’s just pacing._

**Stiles is about the same. He keeps asking me questions I don’t really know how to answer.**

_I mentioned the pacing and now he’s just sitting on the couch scowling at his hands._

_I think this is the most nervous I’ve ever seen him._

“Oh my god, Scott!” Stiles said, looking over at Scott with his mouth hanging open and tossing his phone on the bed next to his traitor of a best friend. “You didn’t think this was information I may have been interested in?”

“Obviously, I thought you would be interested,” Scott said. “But I also thought it would be fun to see you find out.”

“Scott, you have to ask if he’s interested in me, can you ask if he thinks of this as a date? Does he like me, check yes or no?”

“Stiles, this isn’t middle school,” Scott said, holding his phone up and out of Stiles’ reach, who was grabbing for it around Scott. “I swear to god, if you aren’t dressed and ready in 5 minutes, we will be late and Allison will kill both of us, you know she could. I’m using up my cute points on coming over here to help you get ready instead of helping her set up.”

Allison taught self-defense classes at the rec center on weekends – Stiles knew she could kill him in one move if she really wanted to.

“Isn’t Lydia over there helping?” Stiles asked, throwing on one last shirt to see if he could somehow look like anything other than the kid who never quite finished growing into his body.

“Yes, but you were on prom committee with Lydia senior year. How relaxed would you be right now?”

Stiles stopped fretting over his shirt, deciding the dark plaid shirt over a matching t-shirt would have to do. Stiles style hadn’t exactly changed since high school – he’d just started buying clothes that fit better.

“We need to get over there, soon, then,” Stiles said, remembering how stressful being around Lydia when she’s planning is. He gave himself a once over in the mirror and grabbed his keys.

“For the record,” Scott said while Stiles locked up. “I’m pretty sure the fact that he’s nervous about today means Derek is interested.”

Stiles smiled the whole way down to his jeep. His best friend was great.

___

Allison looked gorgeous, like just the knowledge of life growing inside her was making her glow. Her smile was normally blinding, but there was a beautiful serenity about it now that seemed different.

“Hey, pretty mama,” Stiles said in his best Elvis impression (which, admittedly, wasn’t very good).

Allison laughed and hugged Stiles. “Thanks for coming. Your boyfriend isn’t here yet.”

“And all of that kind of talk will stop when he does,” Stiles said, warningly. “If any of you try and meddle any more than you have already, I will always give your child unhealthy amounts of sugar before giving them back to you when I babysit.”

“You say that like we’re going to let you babysit,” Scott joked.

“Oh, please. I’m gonna be the cool uncle your kid wants to be when they grow up,” Stiles laughed. “I save lives for a living, and I can make yours hell if I want to.”

“Speak of being the cool uncle…” Scott said, looking at Allison for confirmation. “We wanted to ask if you’d be our kid’s godfather.”

Stiles could feel his eyes start to water, but he honestly didn’t care. He brought Scott and Allison into a group hug and sniffed. “Of course! Of course I’ll help your child along the path to being awesome!”

“The path to awesome is lined with curly fries and video games?” A voice came from the doorway to the entry way and Stiles gave his friends one last squeeze and a bright smile before turning to face Lydia, who had been watching the exchange with a small smile on her face.

“Lydia, my sun and stars, how are you?” Stiles hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. “How long are you going to be in town?”

“For a few weeks, and then I’ll be back around Allison’s due date,” Lydia said.

“You’re coming back for the birth?” Stiles asked. “I thought those San Francisco types had stolen you away for good.”

“Please, like I’d miss my godson or –daughter’s birth,” Lydia said, smiling.

“We’re going to be godparents together?” Stiles asks. “This is like, the weirdest version of my five year plan from high school. Thought I never thought any version would happen, so.”

“Oh, please, you were over me the moment Danny flashed those dimples at you with any intent behind it,” Lydia rolled her eyes, but her voice was still fond.

“Don’t be jealous – I’ll never forget my first love,” Stiles said, smiling widely and remembering the gift in his hand. “Hey, where do you guys want this?”

Scott looked at the gift bag Stiles had in his hand. “Stiles, you seriously didn’t need to get anything, but… we’re happy you did!”

Allison laughed. “For some reason, all these baby presents have made Scott revert to a child on Christmas morning.”

Scott looked at them both for approval before pulling the paper out and laughing at the gift inside.

“What?” Allison asked, leaning over to take the gift out of the bag, smiling. “No way, that’s hilarious!”

The onesie was a nice, gender-neutral green and read, “I'm being raised by wolves” with a couple of paw prints around the words. Stiles had found it at a baby store and couldn’t help it.

“I thought it was appropriate,” Stiles said and Scott jokingly flashed his eyes at him.

“Thank you, Stiles,” Allison said, taking the onesie and folding it back into the bag.

The doorbell rang and Stiles pointed at his eyes and then at his three friends before running to answer the door. Scott, Allison and Lydia laughed as he walked out of the room and Stiles smiled at having his friends all together.

Derek looked gorgeous as always, maybe even better without the striped polo he had on whenever Stiles saw him at the corner store. A small smile settled on Derek’s face when he saw Stiles answering the door and that made Stiles smile a little wider

“Hey,” Stiles said, smiling. “You came! Come in.”

“Of course,” Derek said, stepping in after Stiles and shedding his leather jacket to reveal a forest green v-neck that showed off his arms in a way that really isn’t fair, especially when Derek was holding up a pastel gift bag with rubber duckies on it like a shield.

“So you’ve met Scott,” Stiles said, leading Derek into the living room. “But this is Allison Argent-McCall who will kill you if you un-hyphenate her name, but is actually super sweet.”

Allison punched Stiles on the shoulder as she reached out to shake Derek’s hand.

Something in Derek tensed when Stiles said Allison’s name, but he just assumed he wasn’t good with new people. Derek shook her hand, but his smile seemed significantly more forced than it had at the door.

“And this is Lydia, the love of my high school life, and who recently received her PhD from MIT and is now working at a startup I have no doubt will soon be a household name,” Stiles said, gesturing towards Lydia who was sitting on the couch and nodded, smiling at Derek in an almost predatory way that was incredibly concerning to Stiles.

“Hello, Derek,” Lydia said. “Nice to meet you.”

Stiles could see the cogs turning in her head, and he gave her a look, knowing she was up to something, and shook his head briefly behind Derek’s back.

Stiles’ phone buzzed in his pocket and he took it out, eyes widening at the reminder it gave him.

_Hey, kiddo. On my way to Scott’s – what’s missing that I can bring along?_

Stiles groaned. He knew that his friends were going to be insufferable, but it was part of their charm. That was only to be expected and he would do the same if it were him. Something he completely forgot to prepare himself, and Derek, for was what would happen when his dad arrived.

“Hey, Derek, do you want to get a drink?” Stiles said, looking at him meaningfully and leading him into the kitchen.

Derek followed him, head cocked to the side. “What’s up?”

“So, my dad is on his way – don’t freak out!” Stiles said, his hands up in defense and an apology for not telling Derek earlier. “Look, there’s no pressure; for all he knows, we’re just friends. But he is the Sheriff.”

“I know,” Derek said, and then seemed to wish he hadn’t. “I mean, from your last name, I’m not stalking you or anything.”

“Relax,” Stiles said, smiling. “As long as you’re okay with it. Feel free to leave, if you need to.”

“No, I’m fine,” Derek said. “Your dad and I, um, we met a long time ago.”

Stiles took a moment to consider letting Derek know exactly how much he knew about the Hale fire, but that was front page news for months – if Derek thought there was anyone who didn’t know about that fire who had been around at the time, he was kidding himself.

“Well, I’ll let you define the relationship for him, because I'm kind of springing this thing on you all of a sudden.”

Derek smiled and furrowed his brow. “How would you define the relationship? Beyond ‘we met in a checkout line’?”

Stiles looked down, blushing slightly. “I mean, I don’t know. You’re at my best friend’s baby shower, and we met over pregnancy tests and condoms.”

“Well, I’ve heard of weirder ways to start a relationship,” Derek said.

“So this is a relationship?” Stiles asked, looking questioningly at Derek.

Derek just raised his eyebrows and walked back out into the party.

Stiles smiled to himself. Yeah, this could be the start of something good.


End file.
